An Unusual Page
by Sapphire3
Summary: A new page has arrived at the palace, a Yamani girl called Kaia who has trained as a Shang warrior for 3 years. How did she enter Shang is she's a noble, and why is she going to the palace? Read to find out. May be some Romance, not sure yet.
1. Kaia ya Maius

Chapter One Kaia ya Maius  
  
Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce owns everything, blah, blah, blah.  
  
Note: This is my first fan fic, so please review. Sorry it's a bit short, but I like to write in chunks.  
  
A young girl looked up at the palace gates in awe. She had been waiting for this moment for 5 months, ever since her training master had found out who she really was. Kaia ya Maius was not an ordinary 11-year old girl. She was of medium height and slight build, with long black locks that framed her face. Yamani green eyes flashed with determination and a strawberry pink mouth looked hard, and serious. This mouth had not smiled for some time, and it showed the signs of an 11-year-old that had seen more of the world than the ordinary knight did. She was dressed in the popular Yamani kimono, (which had become fashionable since Princess Shinkomani's marriage to Prince Roald), and long black Tortallan boots. It was quite obvious that this girl, although unfazed by the Tortallan city, was a pure Yamani, through and through. The street sellers parted to let her through, knowing that it was not a good idea to bother the Yamanis at the best of times. When they reached the palace Kaia signalled to her companion, a dark haired man dressed in Tortallan guise. "We'll stable the horses, then go and see the training master." The man told her in Yamani. Once their horses and packs had been taken care of the girl and her companion entered the palace, and was shown into the training master's study. "Kaia ya Maius, is it?" he asked, while rifling through some files. She nodded, taking in his large oak desk and the shields of regiments of the Kings Own behind him. "Well, girl, I hear you have been trained in Yamani glaive and hand combat, and have been Shang trained." "Yes, my lord. I was in Shang for 3 years." "I thought they only allowed commoners into the Shang, and you certainly don't look common." "Miss Kaia took us all by surprise. Ran away from her arranged groom at 8 and pretended to be a commoner. Of course, she was found out, and that's why we have sent her here." The companion chuckled. "You would be Ryan McNiff, her Shang trainer." The training master surveyed the man, taking in his perfect balance and strong limbs. "That would be right." "She was taught for 3 years?" "As an assassin and body guard, she had just started her first assignment, and she would have been a darn good one to if she wasn't a noble." "Yes, I can see she certainly has Shang balance." The training master would have his bet on five gold nobles if this delicate seeming girl didn't have wrist knives, boot knives, back knives, ankle knives, not that these of course were needed, her hands could kill any man she met. "Well Kaia, your rooms have been prepared and your horses taken care of. Your trainer should have informed you of the rules," he glanced at McNiff, who nodded. "And your maid will tell you about clothes and so on. You should be outside your room at the 7th bell, and a sponsor will be chosen for you." Kaia bowed and left the training master thinking about the girl he had just met. He wondered what her assignment had been, and knew immediately that she had killed. Yes this girl could kill in cold blood, he was sure of it, and he didn't like the feeling he had when he thought about how the other boys (and girls, he reminded himself) would react to this unusual page. 


	2. Little white lies

Disclaimer: Everything is Tamora's, except what you don't recognise, like Kaia.  
  
Comments: Thanx for all your reviews! Ok, here are my replies to any Q's. Scarlet- you pronounce her name K -eye - ah. Lady Knight, Deadly Black Rose and DaeLily0- Thanx for the tip about spacing! This is my first fan fic, so I didn't know.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Kaia entered her quarters and looked around. The room was plain and simple, clear of any ornaments or pictures. On her assignment she had learnt to have few possessions so they could travel quickly. A small dressing room contained her wash things, and a room off hers belonged to Ryan, she was told.  
  
Once the servant had left Kaia sat down on the bed wondering if she had made the right decision. Shang life had been perfect- travelling, no hefty swords and that adrenaline rush before she killed someone. Should she just have returned when they found out? Returned to marry her groom and settle down as a Yamani bride.  
  
Before she could decide a loud bell interrupted her thoughts, telling her she had 5 minutes to get dressed. This didn't faze Kaia. Shang life had taught her to get ready quick when your life was in danger.  
  
She put on a dark blue kimono, with a silver obi belt and her dark boots. She decided her outfit was just right, not too girly, and a good contrast between the Yamani Kimono and Tortallan boots. "At least there are other girls here." She thought. She knew four other noble girls were currently in Knight training, and surely they would warn her of any pages to look out for?  
  
As the dinner bell rang she stepped outside her door and looked down the corridor at the other new pages. Five boys stared back at her, taking in her long hair, slender body and Yamani kimono. She could see the look in their eyes, the look she first saw in her Shang contender's eyes before she struck the first blow. They thought she was a joke.  
  
A column of pages brought her attention back to the training master, who led the boys. He halted in front of the new pages and surveyed them for a minute. "Your name and fief?" he asked a boy about Kaia's height, with red hair and a nervous face dusted with freckles.  
  
"Jonathan of King's Dyke, my lord." He stuttered.  
  
"Who will sponsor this page?" the training master asked the sea of boys.  
  
A hand rose and asked, " May I my lord?"  
  
"Very good, David of Pointscave." He looked at Kaia and motioned for her to speak.  
  
"Kaia ya Maius, my lord." A boy laughed and another chuckled "We don't want no Yamani fairies here!" The boys who looked at her face, however, knew she was no fairy. Many frowned at her, and Kaia hoped they mistook her killing spirit for nerves. A boy walked forward and nodded to Master Padraig.  
  
"Kieran of Hightree. Very well." He sighed. Once the other boys (Peter of Merryhill, Roald of Coniferlake and James of Boxfields) had their sponsors the pages made their way down to dinner. Kaia collected her food and sat next to Kieran. A short prayer was said and then everyone dug in.  
  
"So," said Kieran through a mouthful of bread "You're a Yamani."  
  
"Yes, I lived there until I was 8. My entire family still live there. We are a pure family, I was even arranged."  
  
"Arranged?" the boy asked, confused.  
  
"To be married. It's tradition."  
  
A boy she recognized as Gareth of Topsail who had been listening asked "What did you do after your 8 years in the Islands?"  
  
"I, I came to Tortall. To learn the language. My father thought it was an important part of my education." She decided triumphantly.  
  
"Right" said Gareth, frowning slightly. Soon they were chatting readily and only stopped when dinner was over and they went to their rooms. "So," asked Kieran. "What do you think of the palace." "It's a lot different to the Shang- I mean the Sakyo palace. That's where I was staying." She quickly covered her tracks and left with a hasty "Goodbye!" Kieran was left watching this new page hurry down the corridor. There was certainly something strange about her. 


	3. Has he guessed?

Disclaimer: Everything's Tamora's except what u don't recognise  
  
Comments: Sorry I haven't updated for ages but there's been school and so on..Thanx for all your reviews.  
  
The next morning Kaia woke to find that a maid had opened her shutters and bright white light was flooding through. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and checked her bell schedule. It was 5 in the morning. Good, thought Kaia, I can get some Shang exercises in before Breakfast.  
  
She dressed in the simple clothes she had been given, tied back her raven hair in a long plait and checked her appearance in the mirror. Every bit the page, except the whole Yamani and Shang bits, she commented as she stared at her reflection. When will I tell them? Never replied her mind. They will only hate you for it. But won't they find out eventually? Maybe, but don't tell them until necessary.  
  
Even though there was a nagging voice in the back of her head, telling her that Yamanis were supposed to be honest, she decided to go with her thoughts.  
  
Halfway through her Shang exercises, Ryan came in.  
  
"More tension in the left arm." He commented as she completed her balancing exercise. She corrected the fault, held the position for a minute and then relaxed. She stood up, as she should to her Shang master, and looked expectantly up into his worn face.  
  
"I have to go away. Something's come up."  
  
"Is it to do with Gachi?" She whispered, looking away  
  
"Yeah. Gachi and his felons." He turned her face to his and studied her for a minute before saying, "Be careful. And don't go looking for them. You're not in Shang any more."  
  
Kaia nodded, but in her mind she knew this was another lie. Gachi was the bain of her life, a sore spot that never seemed to go away. All because of David, her little Shang friend. Or rather little Shang traitor, she decided with haste.  
  
The bell suddenly struck for breakfast and Kaia rushed up and out of her door, not realising so much time had passed. "Kieran!" She called as she saw him making for the door of the Dining hall. "Kaia, hey, look there's a table." As they entered the hall he gestured to a table with Gareth and a few other boys sitting on it.  
  
As the training master entered they rushed to their seats and said the quick prayer. When the training master had finished a babble of noise broke out, including at Kaia's table.  
  
"Kaia, are you looking forward to lessons?" Asked Gareth with a grimace.  
  
"I don't really know. Shang taught me to read and write an' all, but I've never really had lessons." She commented, forgetting her secrecy.  
  
"Shang?" Kieran frowned  
  
"My. nickname for my brother! Yeah, in the Yamani islands siblings have nicknames after different fighting styles depending on what they are interested in." She gabbled, hoping they would believe it.  
  
"Really? I never knew that!" Gareth exclaimed and asked her some more questions about the islands, but as she answered she saw Kieran frowning at her out of the corner of her eye. Has he guessed? She wondered.  
  
But she had no more time to think of that because soon they were off to lessons, and then to the practice yards, this was where she would have to try hardest to protect her secret, especially from Kieran.  
  
As Kaia wondered about Kieran, he wondered of her, thinking about the strange things about her. Who was she really? 


	4. Author's note

Hey readers! Thanx to those who reviewed my last chapter. Sorry, but I won't be updating for a while bnecause I have loadsa school work. Your reviews will help me though! 


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